Beyonce Knowles returns to the media mill from what some would call a hiatus with her controversial photoshoot spread in L’Officiel Mag. The word controversial is a safe way to enter into this discussion but now that we are here, let’s upgrade that term to culturally insensitive. Here’s the haps, L’Officiel a french magazine celebrating it’s 90th anniversary courted singer and (for lack of a better word) actress Beyonce Knowles to grace their cover and she obliged. Together the team conceptualized an “African Queen” photoshoot including a tribute to Fela Kuti-A Nigerian musician and human rights activitst who was not an African Queen so how does he fit into this picture? None of us know yet, we’re still checking into it *eyebrow raise*. Oh there is that miniscule connection with Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z assisting in production of Fela! a play to honor the man who’s name it carries and her newfound adoratoin of his music. In her efforts to pay homage to Fela, Beyonce agreed to darken her face with makeup for several poses. The mag explained her poses in blackface as ”a return to her African roots.” So clearly I wasn’t the only one who noticed Beyonce transformed into a white woman years ago(seriously joking). You might be thinking ”Darken……her…….face….blacken…her..face.blackface! I bet that term rings a bell and if it doesn’t it will after this commercial.
Blackface
Blackface, a technique that involved applying burnt cork, greasepaint, or shoepolish to darken the skin, has its roots in the 1883 mistrel show where a white performer, Thomas Dartmouth “Daddy” Rice, impersonated a black crippled slave he said he knew named Jim Crow. According to Black-face.com “Performers defended slavery by presenting denigrating stereotypes of Blacks who supposedly needed the civilizing influence of slavery to keep them in check. Black slaves were portrayed as happy and content with their lot in life and fearful of life outside of the plantation.” Thus reveals the social crime behind such practices. The orginal minstrel shows saw their end around 1919 but portrayals in blackface carried through unto the 1950′s and even found their way onto London television until the late 1970′s. The wound is not as old as you may want to think.
Fastforward to 2011, is Blackface Art?
Fashion has it’s inspirations, as anything artistic in life but take care to ponder where the idea of painting faces black could possibly come from? This is not a new and innovative move, quite the contrary it has a deep history-especially in America and considering such avoiding it should be the obvious choice. However, fashion appears to be obsessed with it’s ability to take a white person and paint them black or even a step further and paint an already black person with darker skin(this same progression was evident in minstrel shows).
In 2009, supermodel Lara Stone, posed in a 14-page editorial for French Vogue in blackface shot by American photographer Steven Klein. French Vogue appears on American shelves and the work was done by an American photogrpaher thus an obligation to be culturally responsible exists. In addition, Paris-based Mongolian designer Tsolmandakh Munkhu painted her runway models entirely black to win the Hyere’s International Festival of Fashion and Photography.
A trend is emerging and is seeking the approval of the very race of people it should offend the most; hopefully we will not follow Beyonce into the light. Even in moments of creativity one is expected to be responsible which is why you will not see swastikas strolling down the aisle or the United States flag burning onstage. If people allow this blatant cross into the offensive zone there will certainly be more to come. Whether the decision to pass off blackface as fashion was made ignorantly or not, there has been enough rumble in the jungle for the industry to be aware of itself. Should we wait for them to realize the error in their ways and rectify their own mistake or send them a “don’t let it happen” again message? Be prepared for the latter.
About Beyonce in Blackface
Only time will tell if she is bold enough to actually open her mouth and speak on behalf of her misguided actions but in the meantime I’d like to hope she is somewhere making the “doh” face; only then would I know all is not lost. I’m confused and feel slightly betrayed by the willlingness of people to condone such offensive behavior in an effort to make the past obsolete. Can you really say let’s move on with the past when the inspiration for what is going on right now comes from the past? When there is a significant shortage of black high fashion models in the industry? When instead of hiring more black models companies would rather paint white models black? I’m left to wonder just how far we actually HAVE moved away from those days when blacks couldn’t take the stage so whites played the part for them and a demeaning part it was. Blackface in fashion is not innocent, despite it’s intent.
The models are not being portrayed in a negative light as that would be overt but we must war against subliminal racism as well. The idea of an already black woman needing to appear darker to pay tribute to a black man is a gross admittance of an obsession with skin color, which we are supposed to be over by now. We’ve come far but there is still a distance to go, simple subliminal moves such as this will eat away at the fabric we’ve painfully struggled to weave together. It is in our best interest, both white and black to protect everything we’ve worked for by clearly communciating that we do not intend to be victims of our past. Checkout L’Officiel’s video of the photoshoot with Beyonce Knowles to see exclusive poses.
Article by Fly11
Fly11 is a fashion blogger for FashionizeHaus.Com who seeks to cover the fashion industry from a variety of angles and perspectives. She is the adminsitrator for her fashion blog, active member of the Independent Fashion Blogger Network, and Event Planner.
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i just don’t understand why a tribute to Africa had to be done by darkening her face…LIght skinned Africans do exist…she realizes this, right? smh
You sound foolish. Don’t you know that Africa is one gigantic racially homogenous culture? Its called the DARK continent for a reason! Non-jokingly, I don’t get how this chick believes donning some expensive appropriated “tribal” shit made by some French idiots is getting back her ancestors anyway.
I don’t think I’d go as far as calling this black face…I just don’t see why this was her way of going back to her “African Roots” .. I would have enjoyed seeing her do a photo shoot without all that weave, because she is natural under it. That would be a good way of going back to her roots IMO.
Made some nice points Talie C. wish Beyonce was sensible enough to have considered the things you suggested.
This is reaching too hard! That is not blackface, it is no where near it. How can a black woman do blackface? The mind reels at how far you people will stretch logic to race bait. Grace Jones, Alek Wek, and other dark black women have painted themselves jet black for the sake of art/fashion. There are no racist messages or “subliminal moves”.
I think the only thing that will “eat away at the fabric we’ve painfully struggled to weave together” is the stretching thin articles like this do to find “offense”. The Lara Stone photos were beautiful and rather than say “immitation is the highest form of flattery”, you rather be insulted? Come on!
You sound white rn. Not that that matters to you, I bet you’re ~color-blind~. Black people CAN wear blackface (ie bert williams) and thats EXACTLY what bey is doing here.
Ok. First I am a black man. Let me school you on the difference between blackface and dark makeup. Blackface was done as a satire/caricature of slaves/African-Americans. Beyonce is a African American woman and is not performing satire or anyting remotely comedic. This by all basis doesn’t fit the standard of blackface at all. After all Crunk dances wear tutus, that doesn’t make what they are doing ballet.
@Mike Phil….if it’s not blackface, please explain why the fashion industry is labeling it as blackface? This is blackface by the industries OWN admittance so really what would be the purpose is aruging this? That within itself makes it more than what you might want it to be. Furthermore, blackface involved PAINTING the face BLACK which is essentially the same thing these models are doing. What is missing is the variety show act to go along with it, however because of it’s engrained symbolism, we no longer need a “coon” act to picture one. “Imitation is the highest form of flattery?” Possibly but exactly what are they imitating? I for one have never seen a light-skin blackfaced person. This appears to be more of a mockery than an imitation.
You are sadly mistaken. The fashion industry has not labeled this blackface. media outlets that are thirsty for headlines have.You the author who should have done more research on Blackface and its history before writing this post. Your equation of what Beyonce is doing and Blackface, holds as much water as the Obama Hitler teaparty references. There is no bridge long enough to span the gap that you are attempting by leaps and bounds to connect. It is exactly these wolf cries that numb society to true cries of racism. This is not Blackface, her face is simply painted black. She is not a racist satire of African Americans.
I’m well aware of what blackface is and I stated in the post that the models are not demeaning African people however this practice of painting faces black as opposed to actually using models from Africa is synonymous with blackface. Media is just as much apart of the industry as the photographers and models, especially in fashion. There must be a whole lot of thirsty outlets around because many people seem to find this as shocking. I think all common sense toting individuals can see shes not participating in a minstrel show but her photoshoot resembled something very offense in HER history as a black woman, just as the word “niggah” is too close for comfort to the word “nigger.” Your opinion is your opinion but until they start painting people yellow to represent dandelions, I don’t by it. It’s offensive and perpetuates ignorance. Things like this should be caught and dealt with before they grow into fullgrown problems.
So are troops in combat participating in Blackface? Since they often paint their faces black. Please clarify. How about Alek Wek who is African born and dark yet has painted herself jet black for photo shoots. Does that qualify?
The media is doing what its does, race baiting for ratings. They know that all they have to do is lift a foot and the kicked dogs will begin to holler. You know how many things “resemble” things that were hurtful and offensive in the past? We wouldn’t be about to take a step for all the eggshells. They have been painting black people white and Asian ( White Girls, Norbit, etc) for a while now. Those cases to me are more offensive than what Bey did. Harp on those. I feel your need to stir the pot has blinded you to something beautiful.
@Mike Phil,
I agree. I don’t think this is blackface… however, I CAN see why there is concern.
In addition to what you said… blackface was used (i) because they wouldn’t let blacks play the part (ii) used negative stereotypes – it portrayed blacks as ignorant buffoons… This is FAR from that.
Not to mention… in context, some minstrel/black face is educational and powerful (not that Beyonce is either…). If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and check out The Scottsboro Boys on Broadway.
Troops in combat is not art and they have functional purposes for what they are doing. If the symbolism between these models blackfaces and minstrel show blackfaces wasn’t there, it would be nothing to even debate over. I’m not sure what the fact that this isn’t the first occasion of painting people has to do with anything but okay…this isn’t the first time (as the article clearly states).
“They know that all they have to do is lift a foot and the kicked dogs will begin to holler.”-And so now people in media are kicked dogs? I see very clearly now after several go rounds exactly why you can’t see this photoshoot and the others as offensive and distasteful. Your comment might be an analogy, very poorly chosen one, nonetheless I do not appreciate being compared to a “kicked dog” anymore than I appreciate a black woman painting her face to be blacker than she already is. My suggestion to you is the same as my suggestion to the industries photographers and designers who continue to perpetuate this mess…learn some RESPECT !
What’s the big deal?????
and moreover who cares?
This article is stretching and attempting to label something racist, that really isn’t.
Her skin is darkened, but she isn’t cooning for comedic effect like an actor in a minstrel show.
I actually like the pictures.
She is uses the shoot to pay homage to her African roots, not intentionally degrade the culture.
And please do some research, the “tribal wear” that she dons was worn by Fela, go check his pictures and old album covers.
“She is uses the shoot to pay homage to her African roots, not intentionally degrade the culture.” -So all African people are dark? And why in the world would someone who is already considered “black” feel the need to make themselves blackER to pay tribute to a black person? Have you ever seen any white people paint their faces white to pay tribute to their ancestors? Seriously, lets process this here.
“And please do some research, the “tribal wear” that she dons was worn by Fela, go check his pictures and old album covers.”- who said anything about tribal wear? The issue is the need for an already black woman to darken her face to pay tribute to a black man. Furthermore, lets just bust this wide open, the tribal wear is HIGH FASHION DESIGNER created. In addition, she posed in blackface in MORE than tribal wear-skirts and African style gowns were used. Maybe you should google her photoshoot before you draw conclusions.
“Who cares?” -Well if you check google, apparently, a LOT of people do.
I’m on the fence with this. I will admit that, at first, I was against taking this so seriously and that we do need to “get over it” but when you used the Swastika reference it put it into perspective for me. Why should we have to get over something so sensitive to our history regardless of whether it is being shown in a positive light or not? For years, African culture has been taken, watered down, and eventually lost of all of its value.
If they wanted to revisit African roots then why couldn’t they find another way to honor Africa? I don’t think this was intentional in any way, but it wasn’t even given a second thought of whether it would be offensive or not and that’s where I see the problem lies. I find issue in the fact that sensitive Black issues are given the “just get over it, it was years ago” label without the offender really thinking or understanding the true depth of what they are doing and asking us to get over.
I don’t really have a problem with using the blackface on a black model. Some folks think that it’s offensive, but not offensive enough to care. If you notice, this issue didn’t really blow up as much as it did last year when some photographer used a white model with a black face.
But we I do take issue with is the actual “model”. If they truly wanted to pay tribute, they could have used a model that was already the color of the paint that they painted on Bey. And to take it a step further, to use a model that was actually African! Now granted, they probably wouldn’t have sold as many issues, but that’s a whole other topic…
“So all African people are dark? And why in the world would someone who is already considered “black” feel the need to make themselves blackER to pay tribute to a black person?”
Uhm, you are aware that she did not do all of the photos with darkened skin right? So, these photographs would not be saying all African people are dark, just that some are. They used one model to capture different ideas of an “African Queen”, they accomplished this by using different make-up. This happens very often in editorials. Also, yes, I have seen white people wear white powder to lighten their skin, usually to achieve a victorian anachronistic look, for them, this could be considered reconnecting with their past.
Also, the way you’re degrading Beyonce’s blackness is more offensive than these pictures. Using quotations (“black”) when referring to her or saying ” I wasn’t the only one who noticed Beyonce transformed into a white woman years ago(seriously joking)” is offensive. Sorry Beyonce isn’t black enough for you? I’m a light-skinned black person and all my life I had to deal with my darker friends calling me white or “white-washed”, it’s offensive and ridiculous.
A few years ago there was a huge controversy over Beyonce’s skin being lightened in advertisements, now there’s this. Personally, I’m happy they hired a black model (remember now, Beyonce is black, maybe not black enough for you, but she is black) for this shoot and didn’t dress a white girl in African clothing as so many others have done.
Oh no, Grace Jones did blackface too!!!:
http://www.revelinnewyork.com/sites/default/files/grace%20jones%2011_0.jpg
“Uhm, you are aware that she did not do all of the photos with darkened skin right?”-Well the video of the photoshoot didn’t just break and enter into the post, I put it there so I’m going to go with YES!
Stick to the facts of what the magazine actually REPORTED they were doing, not what you interpreted it as. THEY said her skin was darkened to pay tribute to Fela Kuti, NOT to portray different types of “African Queens” as you stated. This is clear in of the poses where her clothing is not at all African Queen attire http://bit.ly/fdr8vB .
Beyonce is degrading her own blackness by communicating to the masses that she is not black enough to pay tribute to a black man. I’m merely the observer in the situation. In regards to Beyonce bleaching her skin, I’ve never seen a 29 year old with lighter skin than she had when she was 15-your skin is supopsed to get darker as you get older not lighter so I’ll let you figure that one out. Beyonce over night came up with lighter skin, and straight blonde hair. If you were to put her photo next to that of a white female, then your average black female, the similiarities would be quite clear.
I am Beyonce’s NATURAL complexion, if not slightly lighter so I take issue with the fact that her skin wasn’t sufficient the way it is. The issue you say I have is actually the issue SHE appears to have.
The Grace Jones photo, not hardly the same thing….the woman is wearing an artistic tribal design all over her body.
Uhm, actually, they just released a statement saying:
“A queen, a goddess, Beyonce is a bombshell beauty with a divine voice. We’re thrilled she’s opening a season of celebrating the 90th anniversary of L’Officiel de la Mode. The series was conceived as using art and fashion in paying homage to African queens,” the magazine’s statement noted. “Beyonce mentioned the artist Fela Kuti in the interview as one of her musical inspirations. It was later misquoted as the inspiration for the shoot. We would like to clarify that it is not the case.
“As for the artistic makeup, the inspiration came from several African rituals during which paint is used on the face. We find the images beautiful and inspiring,” the statement concluded.
So, Fela Kuti=not the inspiration, so do you really know the facts? Even from watching the video I understood that Kuti was not the inspiration for the photos.
So now, because Beyonce is lighter than you think she should be, she’s no longer black? Also, she’s the exact same color as her sister, so I guess that must mean they’re bleaching their skin together! I mean, she’s the same color as she was on the cover of Destiny Child’s first album, but clearly, you’ve studied her skin pigmentation for a few years now, so I guess you know what you’re talking about.
However, last time I checked, blackness is not just about skin color, my race is a complexity not my pigmentation. Clearly, her skin was sufficient because they took photos in which she has her natural complextion (the cover of the magazine is her natural complexion: http://img233.imageshack.us/i/rszbey.png/sr=1) So, maybe she is too light for your tastes, but the fact is, she identifies as a strong black woman, she has said this time and time again. She was born to two black parents, she is black. Not all black people look/act/think like you do and you can’t degrade their claim to blackness because of that.
Anyways, If this was some sort of “blackface” “she’s too light” thing, wouldn’t they have done blackface in all of the photos? Perhaps, they thought “hm, African Queens can come in a wide spectrum of colors, even within one individual the question of race is not defined by the color of their skin, so let’s do something interesting.”
Apparently, you like Grace Jones and not Beyonce, because I guess the issue is Beyonce only darkened her face and not her entire body? Grace Jones isn’t even African, she’s Jamaican and while there are some similarities between the cultures, that would be an example of her degrading African tribal design by not wearing them for their actual purpose or to show respect to her heritage.
Dumb things happen everyday. This is no different.
If you want to honor Africa, honor it for what it is and what it could be today, instead of “honoring” things that you have no clue about that existed centuries ago.
p.s.
young beyonce:
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/music/img/1703_YOUNGBEYONCE.png
younger:
http://www.posh24.com/photo/548055/beyonce_young_little
seems about right, when she was really little she was lighter, then she got darker. doesn’t really seem like her color has changed that much since then….but since you seem to be imprinting our personal experiences on other people, i’ll go ahead and do that to, I’ve been the same color since I was about 9, I’m 20 now. I must have been bleaching my skin in my sleep since you say I should be darker!
I can’t believe it’s 2011 and I’m arguing about blackness in terms of skin pigmentation. Black is black, it’s all beautiful, light, dark, average, all beautiful.
here’s the skin lightening that l’oreal did to beyonce in european ads:
http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/beyonce-colour-dye.jpg
they did this through photoshop, without her permission.
For me the issue is, they simply could have used a dark-skinned Black model (African or insert other continent Africans emigrated, migrated, transported forcibly to) rather than darkening Beyonce’s skin with paint.
no one on beyonces team flagged this?
how far out are they?
Right now it seems we pile on Beyonce words of lessons needed to be said, discussed, and debated long ago in history classes. As Black History Month winds down there are still a few days left to teach lessons not so P.C. yet oh so true. There is still time left to discuss the relevance of the cakewalk. How it began with slaves imitating the formality of their Master by infusing some humor into what should’ve been the waltz. This was then transformed into a piece within a minstrel show where Blacks mocking Whites were mocked by Whites dressed up as Blacks mocking Whites. (Keep up with me now.)
There is still time to discuss the relevance of minstrel shows to Black culture. What we all too often debase is just as often forgotten as serving as the launching pad for many Black careers. As minstrelsy was replaced by vaudeville we saw the emergence of stars oft heralded such as Josephine Baker and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. As vaudeville and its chitlin’ circuit gave way to the Harlem Renaissance we saw Black character’s in theatre take shape, take on depth, take on a human arc capable of emoting and not just wide smiling, capable of training and not just shucking and jiving, capable of grace and not just hoofing.
As much as we look back on our burnt cork past with disgust or even hatred we cannot refuse to acknowledge how it has shaped the Black existence we are now privileged to enjoy. That includes Beyonce donning blackface for a magazine spread because she can and not because she must.
http://changecomesslow.com/2011/02/21/beyonce-in-blackface-and-other-race-issues/
A black person shouldn’t have to paint their face black to pay tribute to their African roots. Africans come in various colors, for goodness sakes. I am African and dark, but my father and sister are light. Are they less African? Don’t think so. Beyonce should have thought out this move, because having to paint her face darker actually makes her seem less African/black; like saying she wasn’t black enough. Oh well. I think she also thought it would be a fierce fashion thing, like in America’s Next Top Model when they paint their faces to become other races, but someone should have told Beyonce she is already Black, and Black enough too. Fact: There are African people who are lighter skinned than Beyonce, so her painting her face was just not necessary.
Wow sometimes I think people think far too heavily on stuff. Shes a black woman that darkened her face to pay respect to a Nigerian queen. Maybe the researchers for the shoot didn`t do their history well enough but I think you are stretching if you think that because a black model paints her face darker she is racist or that the photographer is racist or that the industry has racial undertones. Maybe you like the look of your own words on paper and are stretching this to be something that its not ???
in comeplete agreement
Actually, I do like looking at my words on screen…on paper not so much cause my handwriting is unimpressive. That has NOTHING to do with the points made in the blog. You have a right to disagree but I would that you would do so intelligently. I never stated this was done purposefully. Whether on purpose or not it’s a poor choice just as me wearing a swastika because I like angles would be a poor choice. When you are in the media, there is a certain amount of accountability for everything you do or say, or else people wouldn’t have…wait for it….PUBLICIST. The decision to shoot photos in this manner was a poor one. And the industry isn’t racist? Maybe you should ask Donyale Luna, Naomi Sims, hell, Naomi Campbell that question considering you aren’t a model.
I watched the video for the official photo shoot and honestly I wouldn’t consider this blackface at all. I honestly don’ t think that Beyonce has anything to apologize for nor do I feel that she should feel that these photos in any way degraded her culture. I can understand how she could feel that this was a way to get in touch with her African roots…I can’t say that is what the end result looks like, but I don’t feel that she has anything to apologize for.